The Girl and the Unicorn

Lily spends her summer mornings in her grandmother's orchard, a green and quiet place she believes is full of magic. Grandma Rose, wise and kind, tells her that the orchard keeps secrets and that patience might reveal one. Lily soon discovers what that means when she glimpses a shy, pony-sized unicorn with a creamy white coat, a pearl-pink mane and a delicate silver horn near the oldest apple tree. The unicorn vanishes at once, and Lily learns that wanting to see it is not enough.

Instead of chasing it, Lily returns day after day with sweet apples, gentle words and quiet songs, sitting still and keeping her distance. Slowly the unicorn creeps closer, first to the edge of the trees, then to the grass, until one misty morning tiny silver hoofprints lead Lily to a hidden clearing and a small spring. There she makes her promise never to reveal the unicorn's woodland home, and she comes to understand that trust is earned one quiet morning at a time. This gentle story by Jane MEADOW is for young readers who enjoy animal friends and woodland settings, and for anyone reading aloud at bedtime. It shows how patience, kindness and keeping a promise can turn a shy, wary creature into a friend, and it leaves room for the quiet pleasure of a secret shared under the apple trees. You can read this tale on Kids Tale Book.